


Always

by imaginary_iby



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: 4.01: We Need One Another, Coda, F/M, because Danny-Cath friendship makes my heart skip with glee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-28 00:02:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginary_iby/pseuds/imaginary_iby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny's never been shy about his protective streak, but he's surprised to learn just how much Cath's safety means to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Always

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this on a plane, (went to SOTB!) so please go easy on me. I mentally edited the ep a little, to have Danny be the one who drives the van. Oh well. :D

"Now that, that is a magnificent tree. I need to bring Grace out here, I bet she could tell me all about that tree. Can you tell me all about that tree?"

Pausing for breath, Danny turned to take in his charges. Well. They were hardly his charges - but seeing as they were busy kissing, he couldn't help but feel as though he was responsible for sentry duty. 

"No? Hello? That's a no on the tree, then?"

Steve looked at him over the top of Cath's head, exasperated. "You know what? You? Are very annoying."

Ha! Danny had dealt with far worse insults than that. "It's part of my charm,” he said, taking the time to smile smugly. "Besides-"

"-we know, we know, he picked you." Cath smiled impishly, but quickly winced when her bruised skin stretched.

Danny held his hands out, the epitome of innocence. It was either keep up the laughs, or acknowledge the way his heart drooped around his belly at the sight of her beaten face. "Just because you've heard it before, doesn't make it any less true."

"So, what,” Steve said, looping an arm around Cath's waist, "one sentence a few years back, and now I'm stuck with you for the rest of my life?" Gingerly, he began to walk, Cath by his side, and Danny reached out to help them alley-oop over a rotten log. 

“Yep.” He smacked Steve roughly on the back. “You break it, you buy it.”

The journey back to the SWAT van, though brief, was awkward. Climbing up steep mossy slopes wasn’t a picnic under the best of circumstances, and Cath was injured and weary.

In the end, sheer Navy-bred determination won out. Bright blue eventually appeared amongst the greenery, and Danny gave a relieved sigh.

Steve’s worry for Cath was such that he didn’t protest when Danny headed for the driver’s side. Danny hauled himself up, adjusting the seat speedily before there could be any joking about his feet reaching the pedals. He did a quick mirror check, glancing to the right just in time to see Steve press a kiss to Cath’s ear. Holding in a smile was impossible, even if Danny did honk the horn a few seconds later. “C’mon c’mon, we don’t got all day!”

With a grumble, Cath hauled herself up into the van, scooting along until she settled in the middle. Steve leaped up, weirdly gazelle-like for someone so large, and their three-peas-in-a-pod was complete.

It wasn’t until they hit concrete, smooth and civilized concrete - _jesus Danny, do you not know how to drive cross-country? – oh that’s rich coming from you, shut up, you do not get to give me grief about my driving!_ \- that Danny felt it.

He jerked in his seat, hand getting lost on the way to the gear-stick. The engine groaned at the revs sped too high for fourth, and with a grimace he changed into fifth. Keeping his movements economical, he glanced to his right.

Yep. He wasn’t going mad. Sure enough, Cath’s head was pillowed on the curve of his shoulder.

“Er,” Danny stage-whispered, and, really, he was seriously not at his most suave today. “Should she be sleeping? After being… you know, what she’s been through?”

“M’fine,” Cath protested, somehow still sounding… not _cheery_ , but unphased, as though she’d bounce back in just a second. “Just need a two second nap, and it’s disconcerting trying to rest on Steve while he’s cleaning his gun.”

Sure enough, Rambo was re-assembling his SIG. 

“This is excellent news, Catherine,” Danny said happily. “I had you pegged as just as crazy as him, but now I know - does not like to sleep with loaded gun near person, check.”

“Well,” Cath said, blindly reaching out and poking around until she hit Danny’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t go _that_ far. But, you’re comfortable, so.” As though to prove her point, she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, a cat settling in for a snooze.

“Don’t tell him that,” Steve groaned. “We’ll never hear the end of it.” Despite his words, he spoke warmly, and a quick glance away from the road showed Danny that Steve looked relieved and happy.

It was like a bubble formed within the SWAT cabin, a little pocket of transient relaxation. Worry melted away, and for a brief moment there was just the three of them, partners and friends.

Cath shifted in her seat, hand coming to rest on Steve’s thigh. “Thanks for finding me, Steve,” she whispered, squeezing his knee. “Even if you were an idiot to let them go. And you”- she bumped her chin against Danny’s shoulder - “thank you.” With that, her whole body relaxed, cheek smushed adorably against Danny’s shirt.

The road sped beneath the van, silence eaten up only by the sound of the engine. Their bubble was slowly dissipating, worry about getting back to Chin and catching the bad guys creeping back in. That was alright, though - Danny knew it would be back, whenever they needed it.

“Thanks for having my back.” Steve’s voice was rich with feeling. “And hers.”

Danny glanced over at them, familiar, strong and precious, both having worked their way into his heart while he wasn’t even looking.

He smiled. “Always.”


End file.
